Library of Virginia: Self-Guided Audio Tours

This self-guided audio walking tour explores Maymont and its neighboring landmarks in Richmond, perfect for first-time visitors who enjoy Gilded Age history, formal gardens, and scenic park landscapes. It is designed for travelers who want to move at their own pace while discovering one of the city’s most distinctive historic estates. The route begins at Maymont Mansion, the lavish former home of James and Sallie Dooley, set on a 40-hectare estate given to the city in 1925. From there, you continue past the Stone House at Silver Creek, the elegant Italian Gardens, and the Carriage House area, then on to Agecroft Hall, the Tudor manor brought from England and rebuilt here in the 1920s. Along the way, the walk also touches smaller estate features such as Dooley’s Garage and returns to key garden viewpoints. The tour then leads toward the river side of the grounds, passing the Z Dam Portage area, nearby dining at La Grotta Ristorante, and the peaceful Maymont Japanese Garden before ending at Maymont Farm. Along the way, the most memorable experiences include standing before mansion-era architecture, strolling through terraced gardens, seeing an English manor in Richmond, and finishing among the relaxed, family-friendly landscapes of the farm.

Welcome to Richmond, Virginia's centuries-old capital city! This self-guided audio tour will walk you through its present telling about its glorious past. You will start the tour by checking out the primary manufacturer of military equipment during the Civil War, the Tredegar Iron Works. Next, head over to Brown's Island, enjoy the city's green oasis, and find out Richmond's fate in the Civil War, and why canals were so important to Virginia. Off the riverside, at the Shockoe Slip Historic District, you will reimagine the newly-built Richmond after the Confederate troops burned it down to deny to the Union Army. Passing by the First Freedom Center, you will learn how Virginia's legislation inspired the US Constitution. Further along the route, the magnificent Virginia State Capitol, situated atop the hill, will grab your attention and invite you to contemplate iconic Virginia's Washington Monument of America’s first president, who himself posed for the sculptor. Toward the end of the tour, as you approach Washington's elegant residence, you will get introduced to John Marshall, the longest-serving chief justice in Court history. Your last stop will be the Virginia Civil Rights Monument, a bronze and marble sculpture telling the story of racial segregation in Virginia's public schools. Take this tour to experience the city's dramatic yet meaningful connection with early America's history and its modern identity!